Tag Archives: Agriculture

Andrea Leadsom: “farming.. is a bedrock of.. the environment”. Err…

New Defra Secretary of State Andrea Leadsom has sent a statement to Farmers Weekly, the farming newspaper. Although the paper has not published the full statement, here are the quotes it uses: “Nothing is more important than the food we … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, Andrea Leadsom, Defra | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

Farm Subsidies after Brexit – the first hints from Farm Minister Eustice

We’ve had a first hint from the Brexit side, as to what support farming would receive if the UK left the EU. This from Farmers Weekly” First details have emerged of a plan for British agriculture if the UK leaves … Continue reading

Posted in Brexit, Common Agricultural Policy, farming, George Eustice, NFU, public goods, rewilding | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Panic Ploughing

The BBC revealed yesterday that grasslands had been ploughed up, thanks to the European Commission’s Common Agricultural Policy proposals on “greening” – oh, the irony  – to protect grasslands from being ploughed up.The EC had made the fatal mistake of … Continue reading

Posted in Common Agricultural Policy, deregulation, George Eustice, grasslands, meadows, NFU, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Farewell Owen Paterson: your work here is done

And so the rumours have finally been confirmed, Owen Paterson has been asked to stow away his wellies for the last time and return to the back benches. It may seem incredible that Paterson only became Secretary of State against … Continue reading

Posted in corporate lobbying, deregulation, GMOs, Matt Ridley, Neonicotinoids, NFU, Owen Paterson | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Farmers flout TB rules and campaign against loopholes which let TB spread

You really would think that Britain’s farmers would all be on-side supporting whatever actions are needed to reduce the scourge of Bovine TB, wouldn’t you? ‘Fraid not. Last week I explored Defra’s latest proposals to reduce the spread of bTB … Continue reading

Posted in badgers, bovine TB, farming | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The CAP no longer fits

If there was any doubt before, the Local and Euro Election results indicate there is no doubt that the future of Britain in the EU and perhaps of the entire EU project, now hangs in the balance. Euro scepticism has … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, Common Agricultural Policy, farming, neoliberalism, Owen Paterson, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Paterson – climate change will increase crop yields: Govt Scientists -Climate Change will cause crop failure

David Cameron may or may not be preparing for a major cabinet reshuffle following the Euro and Local Elections – and my favourite blog fodder Secretary of State against the Environment Owen Paterson may or may not be looking to … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, climate change, Matt Ridley, Owen Paterson | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

NFU Deputy President, representing 50k wealthy farmers on £2Bn/yr welfare benefits, attacks green NGOs as single issue pressure groups

Today’s offering from Farmers Weekly reports Deputy President Minette Batters argue that boosting food production is the key to a thriving rural economy. Same old NFU there. But with 2.1 billion overweight or obese in the world, and the UK … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, badgers, NFU | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Dog Wars IV: The NFU piles in

  As a non-subscribing reader of the Farmers Weekly website, I only have ten free articles per month, but as we are near the end of May, I decided to splash out today and read this article, which I reproduce … Continue reading

Posted in dog poo, dogs | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Guest Blog by Ruth Davis: A Common Good Manifesto 1) Living Wages and Good Food

Today I am delighted to have a guest blog from my old friend Ruth Davis. We used to work at Plantlife together. Ruth is Political Director at Greenpeace though these are her own views. Ruth is starting an open debate … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, environmental policy, farming | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments